Most men as they approach middle age tend to gain weight, especially around the midsection. While a lot of men think this as an inevitable event, men can avoid this increase of fat as well as loss of muscle tone. Before trying to lose the pounds it is imperative to understand the causes of middle aged weight gain. Here are the top four culprits:
Slowing Metabolism
Age and metabolism is inversely proportional. So as one hits middle age, it’s likely that his metabolism will start to slow down. This means that you can burn fewer calories per day than when you were younger with the same activity level. If this continues, you could gain several pounds in just a year, resulting in a widened waistline. Your hard earned muscle mass may also decrease as you get older, meaning your metabolism will slow down even further.
Reducing Testosterone
A reduced testosterone level is also a common occurrence in men as they reach middle age. Though a normal part of the aging process, the lack of testosterone can cause depletion of muscle, fatigue and weight gain. This gets gruesome as they leave their 40s and enter their 50s, by further causing men to pile on the pounds.
Faulty Diet
There could be two possibilities, as men get older they might turn up to an unhealthy diet or as their metabolism slows they can gain weight by the diet they’ve always followed. One particular culprit is alcohol consumption, especially beer. This has often resulted in an increase of abdominal fat. Eating an excess of refined sugars like white flour can also contribute to an increase of fat in middle age. And not to forget the other high-calorie foods which also contributes.
Lacking fitness
A slowed metabolism and loss of testosterone in middle age can make you feel tired all the time, which makes it difficult to work out with any sort of regularity. To be fit one needs to indulge in at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity five days a week and 20 minutes of strength training three times a week to be healthy and toned.
Tips to avoid that Middle-Age Bulge
Genetics can play a role in how much belly fat you carry still there is a lot of scope for making the necessary adjustments to your lifestyle to prevent this. Appetite suppressants pills, fat-burners or other weight loss supplements, sounds like a great idea. Pop a few pills before a workout and you’ll be able to turbo charge your metabolism, rev-up the fat-burning fires within and even control those irresistible cravings as they say.
Watch your diet
If you wish to burn fats, you can try green tea for example. It’s rich in antioxidants called catechins. One of those catechins is called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG in short which is said to boost metabolism. If you want another one, go for Raspberry ketones. Of course, your weight loss regime must involve a lot of exercise, but such powders and potions can support your training, increase your strength, build your muscles and improve your immunity for a greater weight loss effects. You do not have to stop eating everything you love. Rather, you can try reducing serving sizes and swapping out high-calorie items with healthier choices as well as tackling the cravings.
Work Out Regularly
While being overweight can pose risks to your health, excess fat is especially dangerous if it is around your waist and can lead to a variety of health problems. To get a smaller waist, you may have to work out regularly. You cannot keep just your stomach in mind and neglect the rest of your body, but you can opt for strength-training workouts solely for your abdominal muscles. You will also need to get some cardio activity into your day, swimming or riding your bike should work.
Since, men are more likely to gain weight around their middles than women, we have tried to make things simpler for them. You cannot erase the fats from the waist alone, but dropping overall weight can reduce the fat in your midsection.
